


to be declared deceased

by Lord_Maple



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Eventual Romance, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Parallel Universes, Slow Burn, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-04-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:06:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23223742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lord_Maple/pseuds/Lord_Maple
Summary: Dimitri remembered dying.It was a near painless death, but far from ideal. A poisonous blade of an assassin nicked his skin, and soon enough, he fell into a deep slumber...So, where exactly is he? This isn't the afterlife.AU where post-canon!Dimitri finds himself in a world where he exists and yet, does not-- an existence that defies this new world’s ”impeccable modern logic”.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 9
Kudos: 69





	1. to be alive

**Author's Note:**

> Due to many twist and turns, I’m typing this entire chapter directly onto Ao3 without any form of beta on my phone. Apologies for any typos in advance.

Byleth isn't used to being surprised, and yet, here he is, being surprised.

Soon, his career as a history teacher at Garreg Mach High will start in a few weeks. As a newcomer, there was a lot of paperwork that had to be done-- planning the students’ lessons, writing up the syllabus, making each PowerPoint slide, and so on. It’s all made from the ground up since he can't recycle previous plans like the veteran teachers and if Byleth was a lesser man, he would’ve assigned a stack of packets and call it a day. Despite his age, the education board seemed him qualified to teach at this esteemed private school and needless to say, there’s a lot of pressure that he’ll have to live up to.

Not that he isn’t uncomfortable with that, but the point is, he’s busy.

So, what is he supposed to do with this kid who decided it was a good idea to collapse on his living room floor?

The natural thing to do would be to call the police like a good citizen, which is a problem because Byleth isn't one. It would be less than ideal if his former side job gets exposed now that he’s ready to come clean. It’s a delicate time. No cops now, if not ever, is preferable.

Which leads to the next best thing (in Byleth’s mind)-- tying up this intruder and doing his own investigation. He’s just a kid-- a high school student, but there were a few oddities that Byleth couldn't help but notice. No doors or windows were forcibly broken open. In fact, almost everything is exactly at the same place as Byleth left it. Since the door’s lock is electronic and keyless, he couldn't have picked it open, which only leaves a few possibilities. Perhaps the boy is a hacker of sorts? Byleth certainly didn't make the passcode an obvious number like his birthday and he doubts his dad or sister slipped up.

On top of that, why is he passed out in the first place? He doesn't even have a bag on him, which is basically a must when trying to rob someone-- never mind the fact that there wasn't a shred of evidence pointing towards attempted burglary. Perhaps it was a simple dare gone wrong? Or is it something darker like someone affiliated with Byleth’s past life sending this poor kid to stalk him? Byleth lifted the boy’s shirt to check if there were any tell-tale tattoos (since some gangs around these parts do that), but there weren't any. There was, however, a shocking number of scars, all around the same age. He can't begin to guess why that is so, but if this kid is involved with the violent side of this city, then the gang theory holds some water.

Still... something is off.

Byleth searched the boy’s pockets and found his wallet. There were quite a few 20-dollar bills-- about $400 in total. A bit much to carry around in cash. The wallet also had 3 cards: an expired debit card, a student ID for Garreg Mach High, and a driver’s license that’ll have to be renewed after the kid’s 18th birthday. With this, the kid’s identity is clear. Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd.

Weird name, but he’ll have to get used to them since apparently, there were a lot of them in Garreg Mach. Rich kids have names like that, he supposes.

He can't say he heard of the name before, but that isn't a shocker since Byleth is new in town anyways. The student ID appears to have been issued about two years ago, so the boy would be a third-year student this year if he’s still enrolled. Normally, those turning eighteen this year would be a senior, but that doesn’t matter since Garreg Mach has plenty of students who are too old or too young for their grade level by typical public school standards. Although it’s officially a high school, GMH is ’special’ in a way that separates it from other prestigious private schools.

Garreg Mach is ’magical’.

When Byleth puts the ID back where it was in the wallet, the boy’s eyes flutter open.

”Awake now?”

”...Professor?”

So, he knows about his profession. Noted. The boy tried sitting up from his position and in his groggy state, he notices that his arms and legs are tightly bound. He struggled weakly before giving up. It’s strange. The boy is oddly indifferent towards the current situation. It could just be a good poker face, but Byleth couldn't see a trace of fear on him. He expected some sort of demand to be let free, but this kid is just... absorbing his surroundings like a tourist seeing a beach for the first time.

The professor sighs.

”... Are you going to tell me why you’re here?”

”Oh, um. I’m sorry, Professor. This room... I didn't expect the afterlife to look like this.”

”Assuming I’m not lacking critical information, I assure you that this isn't the afterlife.”

”Eh?“ he says, as if he thought that he misheard.

”You aren't dead, Blaiddyd.” Byleth opened up the wallet in his hand and showed it to Dimitri’s face. His identity isn't a secret.

Dimitri remains relatively relaxed. ”Then, where am I?”

”My house.”

”Oh.” The boy pauses to look around the room again. ”I like your new living quarters, Professor. It’s quite... cozy.”

”...”

”A-And, I always did prefer your old hair color! It suits you more, so that makes me... happy?” Dimitri’s voice wavers as his brain fails to tell him what he really wants to ask.

This is getting nowhere fast. Byleth needs to handle this situation before Sothis comes home in about an hour. If that girl walks in while this random rich(?) kid is tied up in the living room, it will not end well. At all.

Byleth clears his throat and speaks coolly. ”Let’s cut to the chase. You, Dimitri Blaiddyd, have somehow broken into my home. Since it didn't look like you destroyed or stole anything, I’m willing to overlook this misdemeanor if you tell me honestly what your business with me is.”

Dimitri didn’t respond-- rendered speechless by Byleth’s basic summary of the situation. The teacher remained stony-faced as he watched the boy’s face twist in confusion. 

”Professor... do you not remember me?”

Byleth responds firmly. ”This is the first time we met.”

Dimitri purses his lips. ”Just to be clear, your name is Byleth Eisner, is it not?”

”...It is.”

”Hmm...” As Dimitri fell silent and pensive, Byleth tries to assess the information he got from him so far. If Dimitri is lying, then he deserves an Oscar for this performance. Byleth is skilled at lie-detecting thanks to his former line of work, and this boy’s actions and words flawlessly line up with each other. If he’s telling the truth, then perhaps Byleth had met Dimitri before. It’s difficult to believe, but he had forgotten more important things in the past.

Just when Byleth was going to interrogate the strange boy further, a horrible, horrible screech rang out followed by a deafening slam.

”BYLETH, YOU LYING LIAR! THAT MOVIE WAS--”

There’s no mistaking it. It’s that she-devil of a sister, bouncy green hair and all.

His sister, Sothis Eisner.

Just when she, the destroyer of worlds, was three seconds away from dealing the greatest vibe check of the century onto her unfortunate brother, she skids to a halt. It didn't take long for her to see the stranger’s bindings.

”What is this.”

Byleth falls back onto his default defense mechanism: ignoring whatever Sothis just said. ”Movie night over already?”

”That movie you recommended was the movie equivalent of the rotting fish you left in the kitchen for three days! There’s no way I could breathe the same air as those heathens who dare call it a ’cinematic masterpiece’ of all things! And don't distract me from the question! Explain this. Now.”

Byleth shrugs. ”I’m just as confused as you are. This kid broke into our house. Somehow.”

”Hah! If I had ever heard one that kids nowadays would call ’the feces of bulls’ to ever spill out of your mouth, it is that! As if anyone can hack into my firewall! They don't call me a genius for not-- wait a second. Your face... I’ve seen it before.” Sothis’s eyes widen when she got a closer look at the tied-up boy, who has been silent ever since Sothis walked in (out of fear maybe?). She then turned to Byleth and snatched the wallet in his hand. Rude.

”...This is...”

”I found it in his pocket.”

”Oh. Oh, dear.”

Sothis breathes in hard, paced back and forth a couple of times, then froze. Byleth could see a single sweat drop running down his sister’s face.

”Sothis?”

”If this-- if this is real, gods, I--” She starts making a hissing sound before she lets out all of her emotions with a glorious scream. 

Her brother had to slap her mouth to get her to shut up before they get a noise complaint from their neighbors. ”Calm down. You know him?”

It took a few deep breaths on Sothis’s part before she graced him with an answer. ”Oh gods, yes I do. This entire city knows this brat.”

Now Byleth is confused. ”Is he a famous genius like you or what?”

”No, Byleth, you dumb-dumb! You work at Garreg Mach now, right?”

”I’m about to very soon, yeah. That’s what you told me to do.”

”Then did no one tell you about what happened six months ago? About what happened to that student?”

”Six months ago? I guess I do recall Manuela mentioning a boy who jumped off--”

Ah.

”Oh. Right. His name was Dimitri, wasn't it?”

Sothis shakes her brother back and forth with more force than warranted. ”This is him! Dimitri is that student!”

Byleth looks at the boy. For once, he’s visibly shaken.

Then he looks back at Sothis. 

Then back to him.

Then back to her.

”He’s clearly alive.”

”Y-Yes. Yes, he is! Because of me!”

”You?”

”Ugh, just... wait. You, Dimitri. Answer me honestly.” Dimitri snaps up to give the girl his full attention. He never saw this girl before, so it’s surreal to see... not-Byleth(?) talking with her so casually.

”Before you woke up, explain what was happening around you. Be as detailed as you can.”

”Well, umm...” Since Dimitri figured he had no reason to refuse, he might as well respond honestly. What was he doing before this mess again? Ah, right. ”I was resting in my room at the royal palace. The council meeting that day was particularly exhausting, so I retired early. I asked my retainer, Dedue, to fetch a friend of mine who was visiting. When he was gone... yes, an assassin with a dagger barged in! I tried dodging, but the blade nicked my skin and... I started feeling dizzy. Everything turned dark in almost an instant. I remember the blade being an odd color, so it was likely poisonous.”

”Council meetings... retainer... Dimitri. Yes or no. Are you the king of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus?”

Byleth raised an eyebrow as Dimitri answers. ”... Yes, I am.”

”I see... So, that experiment worked after all.”

Before Sothis goes off lost in her own mind, Byleth calls for her attention. ”Please explain, Sothis. What’s this about an experiment?”

She sighs. ”Yeah, it’s only fair to the both of you. Let me untie your bindings first. Don't worry, my dear brother. You can trust him.” Without an immediate objection, Sothis did just that (albeit with some difficulty, those knots were way too tight) and the so-called king took a moment to get comfortable on the sofa. He almost forgot he was tied up, funnily enough. 

“If what you’re saying is true, then I should start with introductions. I am Sothis Eisner, and this is my brother, Byleth. In your world, you probably know him as your professor at the Officers Academy and I as the Goddess of the Seiros religion.”

“So—”

“Save your questions for the end! And this applies to you too, Dimitri.” Dimitri, startled by the girl’s raised voice, nods obediently. Byleth pinches the bridge of his nose. “Now where was I… ah, yes. What you remembered is likely correct. You were killed by an assassin’s blade and now, you are dead. Or at least, you were supposed to be. If it wasn’t obvious already, this isn’t the afterlife, but this isn’t your world either. That’s why my naïve little brother didn’t recognize you even though the Byleth you knew was one of your closest companions. The reason you are here is because of this.” Sothis conjured a magic circle on her palm and calls forth a stack of papers from her room. To the average citizen, this would’ve been a shocking sight, but neither Byleth nor Dimitri were fazed, albeit for completely different reasons.

“This is a story that I wrote some time ago. It’s titled ‘Three Houses’. It’s a tragic story about war set in a fantasy universe told in four parts. This packet is actually only the first part, Azure Moon. Take a look, both of you.” Sothis sets the story on the table for the two to look at.

By the time Byleth finished skimming over the first page, a thought hits him.

“Could it be…? You were serious about that? When you said how you wished—"

This girl’s face flushes into a brilliant red, but she manages to stop herself from making a smart retort and derailing the conversation. “Shh! And…yeah, I was.”

The otherworldly boy crosses his arms. “… I’m sorry. I’m still a bit lost. This story is…”

“An exact re-telling of your life. Or rather, the re-telling of your Byleth’s journey as a mercenary-turned-professor.” Sothis’s expression becomes severe. “The truth is… the goal of my experiment is to achieve something akin to turning fiction into reality.”

“W-What?” The papers in Dimitri’s hands crinkle.

“You heard me right.”

Dimitri can see that this story, ‘Three Houses: Azure Moon’, is an accurate summary of the events of his life during the academy and the final year of Edelgard’s war. From the incident that led his first meeting with his beloved professor to the aftermath of the emperor’s death…. If this story is truly the reason why he went through all those things, he…!

“It can’t— there’s no way I can accept this!  You cannot possibly be saying that my entire life—my existence is fictional…!”

“I’m not! After all, from your perspective, everything you experienced is real. Your pain, your struggles, your victories—make no mistake, they were certainly all real. I’m not so callous as to deny that.” Dimitri’s hand relaxes, setting the story back onto the table. His face softened at the face of Sothis’s loud reassurance, but…. 

“Even though I said ‘turning fiction into reality’, it isn’t… exactly that. I suppose it’s more accurate to say that this piece is merely a medium to summon you here.”

“A… medium?” So, it was a summoning spell? Not that Dimitri has ever heard of a spell that required such a thing.

“Yes. My experiment is magical in nature. I won’t bother with the story about why I’m conducting this experiment in the first place— it’s a long story, but this experiment’s purpose is to test the applications of magic on space-time. I’m sure you’re familiar with such concepts through the ‘Warp’ and ‘Rescue’ spells. Magic in your world is modeled after magic in our world… in this story, anyways.”

Dimitri nods. “I suppose that is correct.”

“This experimental spell of mine is taking it a step further. ‘Warp’ and ‘Rescue’ moves one thing to another point near instantaneously, but this spell is what I call ‘Dimensional Warp’. Are you familiar with the concept of parallel worlds?”

“I… do recall reading about it once. It’s the theory about how worlds where we make different decisions exists in parallel with the world we live in, correct?”

Sothis makes an internal note of this. ‘Three Houses’ doesn’t make an explicit mention of parallel worlds as common knowledge—was it purely random or did the location of origin influence the gaps left unfilled by the medium? Something to inquire Dimitri about at a later time.

“Something along the lines of that, yes. There are an infinite number of parallel worlds—many so far removed from the world you live in that even the most impossible things you can think of exists. A parallel world where all the names of the months aren’t named after moons. A world where humans and dragons coexist together peacefully. And…” Sothis points at the papers. “A world that perfectly reflects a fictional one in another world. A world where one’s fantasy is another’s reality.”

“In other words, all fiction could be ‘real’, just in a parallel universe. This story is just the ‘coordinates’ you used to test your new spell.” Byleth sighs. “This is a lot of effort for someone just wanted to—"

“I said shh, Byleth! And exactly, the Dimitri before us seems just like the Dimitri in this story, but he isn’t fiction that came to life. He was always real. We were just never on the same plane of reality… until now.”

Putting aside Sothis’s suspicious behavior whenever her motives are brought up, Dimitri manages to put the pieces together... barely. “This is a lot to take in, but… I… I think I understand what you’re saying, Sothis. But there is one thing that I must inquire.”

“What is it?”

“Why me in particular? Or was I being transported an accident?” There were many characters that Sothis could’ve picked from, and judging from her reaction at the start, he was likely her first success, as she didn’t expect him to be here at all.

“Well, uh. Yes and no. I did pick you as one of my test subjects, but I don’t know why only you succeeded. I’ll have to check back my records to ascertain a proper theory why that is so.”

“There’s also another thing, Sothis.” Dimitri and Sothis directs their attention to the professor. “You said that this is a story that you wrote a while ago, but the names you used here are real people, including students in Garreg Mach-- people that you probably never heard of until we moved in recently.” Aside from Dimitri, who is dead in this world, Byleth could recognize some of the names that appeared in his class roster, like Edelgard and Claude.

“Ah, yes. I wrote this a long time ago, but due to some… suspicions regarding the limitations of the spell, I had to replace the names with the names of real people. I… don’t actually know a lot of people, so I just accessed the school’s roster and plugged in some names among other edits. A lot of edits, actually.”

“…Seriously?” Azure Moon is already pretty bulky— did she really do that for all four parts? 

“Yes, Byleth. Seriously. I’m going to spare you the jargon on the specifics, but to put it in very, very simple terms, I wanted to test if using names that I knew would procure better results than purely made up ones. After all, it only stands to theory that the more closely related the two worlds are, the higher the chance of success, correct? I wanted to test the limits, so I went out as far out as possible, and worked my way back. Sure, there were many ‘real names’ that I could’ve picked, but I want to keep my sample confined to names I actually know. People that I at least heard of.”

Byleth leans back into his seat. “You’re working with a lot of variables, Sothis—and not just the possible combination of character names.” Even if Sothis stuck with the same base story, the possible combinations of edits and character assignments are nearly limitless. When did she have the time to test all of them, if she did at all?  


“Yeah, that’s why I’m surprised that he’s here, you know?” Sothis points towards the boy. “You, Dimitri, are here specifically, because of some kind of specific circumstance that’s specific to you. That is the current mystery that we’ll have to figure out.”

Dimitri crosses his arms. “That’s all well and good, Sothis, but… I have things that I still need to achieve. I still haven’t…” Dimitri shakes his head. “I need to go back. Soon.”

“Well, first off, no promises. This is still unknown territory that we’ll have to discover, including whether or not it’s possible to send you back. However,” Ah. Byleth recognizes that smug smile on Sothis’s face whenever she’s up to that dreadful mischievous mood. “… that’s one reason why that you should cooperate with me.”

“Huh?”

“The bigger my understanding is of this spell and the reason behind your successful travel, the better the chance of success of you getting back to your world. The worst-case scenario for you is if I accidentally send you off the wrong universe with zero chance of you getting back, no? Then you, being my guinea pig, have all the reason to work with me and my beloved brother here for the sake of the pursuit of knowledge!”

Byleth just gives Sothis an unamused look. “First off, don’t drag me into your weird hobbies, my ‘beloved’ sister. Secondly, when you put it that way, you sound like you’re blackmailing him.”

“Silly Byleth, we’re a team! A set package, huhuhu! For Dimitri, just think of it as… ah, yes. A direct order from the goddess! An alternate version of your goddess, Sothis.” The smug aura around the so-called ‘alternate version of Fodlan’s goddess’ is becoming so thick, Byleth, for all of his self-control, becomes visibly drained. It was infectious enough to affect the mental state of the ‘not-so-fictional-king’.

“That’s… I personally find that hard to swallow, but you do make a good point. It isn’t an exaggeration to say that you are my only hope… even if you’re the reason why I’m here.”

Sothis grins widely. “I’m glad you understand, your Majesty!”

“So… what now?”

“Well, I suppose the first thing in order is for you to read up on Three Houses thoroughly. Then, I expect you to write a report on everything that differs between your world and the story, no matter how minor just to get our stories straight. I want the formatting to be 12-point Times New Roman with 1.5-inch margins, double spaced. Also, make separate reports critiquing my absolutely amazing writing of Three Houses—one for each of the four parts with the exact same specifications. Minimum word count is five thousand words each.”

“You’re assigning homework for a king? The, uh, king of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus?” Byleth didn’t bother addressing the unnecessary critiques of her work. He made the mistake of questioning her awful perfectionism, and he isn’t keen on repeating it at all. Way too much trouble.

“Of course! All in name of a just cause!”

The king giggles quietly, despite his efforts to stop himself. “I didn’t understand half the things you said, Sothis, but if it’ll help you, I’m more than glad to help anyway I can. If you are so gracious, I’ll appreciate any assistance, Professor.”

Byleth was about to deny him, but… he couldn’t bring himself to do it. To do that would be like kicking a puppy when he’s begging for head pats.

“Great! This will be your assignment for the next few days before the school year officially starts. During this time, we’ll also teach you the ways of the modern world—our world, so that you don’t end up embarrassing yourself and muddle my meticulous plans. You do look exactly like a boy who passed away recently, after all, so too much attention is unwanted attention.”

Both Dimitri and Byleth raise a single eyebrow. “Wait… ‘before the school year starts’?”

“Well, of course we’re going to put your current appearance to use, which is by the way, another mystery yet unsolved.” Indeed, why did King of Faerghus adopt the appearance of a seventeen-year old boy, his alternate self? Not only that, but his belongings like his clothes and wallet are on him, too…. Could this be related to the reason why only his case was the only successful use of ‘Dimensional Warp’?

Mysteries upon mysteries and between the emotional genius girl and the unemotional professor, Dimitri is glad that, at the very least, he is not alone. He wouldn’t be able to begin comprehending what was happening without them. 

For now, all he can do is place his faith in them.

“We’re going to have to prep everything up before we start the main operation! Infiltrating Garreg Mach as the boy who miraculously revived!”

* * *

Meanwhile, a certain boy finally arrived at his new home.

It was a long trip from Derdriu, but now he is here— the famed ‘magical’ city, Garreg Mach. Everyone in the country knew about this place’s reputation. They say that the people here are wildly superstitious— believing that sleight of hands are truly satanic witchcraft, but the town’s residents knew better. The ‘true’ residents, anyways. They knew that ‘real’ magic is here, and that this must be kept as a secret from outsiders.

Garreg Mach High may function as an exclusive private school from the outside, but its shadow as training-slash-research facility is there. Soon enough, one Claude Riegan will lurk in that very shadow.

His story goes like this.

Claude was raised in Fodlan’s neighboring country, Almyra. After a rather nasty divorce, his father and mother part ways and it was the latter who ended up with custody. It was here when Claude adopted his mother’s maiden name. On the boy’s 17th birthday, a small flicker of light was conjured upon his palm. That spark fizzled out and became a gust of wind. His mother had a history with these sorts of phenomena, and once she rang up her friend, an alumnus of Garreg Mach High, it didn’t take long for the school’s invitation to arrive at his doorstep. The mages of Garreg Mach have their way of finding kids like him, after all.

Or at least, that is what they think his story is. It’s his ‘official’ story. If he’s going to lie, he might as well get into the mindset that yes, this is the truth.

He has a mission to fulfill and he can’t afford to mess up.

His phone vibrates in his pocket. When Claude pulls it up, he sees that it’s a DM from his good friend, Hilda.

> hiuwuda: claaaaaaaaude omg u can’t believe what just happened  
> claudie 😉: spill the tea, queen  
> hiuwuda: lorenz   
> hiuwuda: he failed  
> hiuwueda: he failed his legendary duty as the ‘future head of the gloucester name’, the one he oh so faithfully praised every two seconds of his mortal life  
> hiuwuda: the shame is palpable  
> claudie 😉: he failed to keep his eyebrows perfectly sculpted today?!!?!?  
> hiuwuda: alksgdjalskjlskf closeee but no cigar  
> hiuwuda: i’m talking about his job as the ‘hall monitor’ this week

Ah, Claude remembered Hilda telling him about that.

> claudie 😉: bruh he was selected as the *ultimate* sacred duty of hall monitor?  
> claudie 😉: color me beyond shocked :^O  
> hiuwuda: lmaooo  
> hiuwuda: but yeah, someone was ballsy enough to break into one of the main research facilities, the one that belonged the lions  
> hiuwuda: it was probably some random dare, but the staff is hella worked up about it cuz apparently something super important was stolen?  
> hiuwuda: idk but lorenz is super beat up about it since he was sitting right outside of the entrance

> hiuwuda: even tho he’s supposed to be keeping watch of OURS not the lions lmaoooo  
> claudie 😉: PFFFT

Hilda had already been attending Garreg Mach High ever since she enrolled as a freshman. They never actually met face to face before, but after Claude whimsically dropped the fact that he’s enrolling the famous Garreg Mach High in the ‘Magical Girl Nemesis’ Discord server (this was probably a mistake since it’s a public server, but who cares? It’s a MGN server of all things!), Hilda was quick to drop her ‘pro tips’ about surviving GMH.

And now? Claude is practically a master. Probably.

> hiuwuda: anywayyyyyyy  
> hiuwuda: u here yet?  
> claudie 😉: yah, just got to my dorm  
> claudie 😉: I don’t have a roommate so I got the whole room to myself ;^)  
> hiuwuda: luckyyyyy  
> hiuwuda: I mean, marianne is an absolute sweetie, but having the whole room to yourself is a luxury that u better cherish  
> hiuwuda: unless ANOTHER sudden transfer student happened to pop in dummy late like u lul  
> claudie 😉: just bc you said it, it’s going to happen  
> hiuwuda: the power of jinx is too powerful *le sigh*  
> claudie 😉: too powerful for mortal hands indeed *le sigh* x2

After closing the app, Claude starts to unpack. Bedsheets, pillows, clothing, supplies, décor—all that good stuff.

And then, he takes out the knife his mother gave him. Her words come back to him.

_Principal Rhea is hiding something and I bet Dimitri’s death has something to do with it. If it is what I think it is…_

… then take her out. Claude gets it, but he’ll need to investigate before passing judgement.

He hides the knife in a safe place.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few notes:
> 
> \- The “modern” world this fic depicts has no relation to canon events (unlike my other fic, modernity required). Although geographical terms like “Garreg Mach”, “Derdriu”, “Almyra”, etc. will be used, assume that the map is completely different than the canon Fodlan map. In fact, “Adrestia”, “Faerghus” and “Leicester” do not exist as separate nations. “Fodlan” is the name of the entire country.  
> \- Yes, magic exists in this world. Later chapters will expand on the differences between magic in canon!Fodlan and modern!Fodlan  
> \- This fic is pretty self-indulgent— the idea popped while I was writing a separate dimiclaude one shot (which I was writing to take a break from modernity required) and it wouldn’t leave me alone


	2. to learn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri learns things about both worlds.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can’t believe I managed to write another chapter of this, but I did it. I did it.
> 
> Warning: Last chapter, there were tiny suicide implications, but starting now, references to the incident will continue and will be discussed. When the time comes, I’ll update the tags and warn in the notes if the chapter were to contain a flashback to said incident.

Dimitri is pretty quick at writing reports.

Granted, after months of drafting, revising, and signing documents around the clock as the king of Faerghus, a few reports are nothing. After the war, there were only a handful of incidents where Dimitri had to march out of the castle to settle violent conflicts, and even those dwindled as time went on. Paperwork is paperwork— boring and repetitive, but at least it was peaceful. Peace meant no one is dying needlessly and that is what Dimitri would consider a victory. 

Which is why he needs to go back as soon as possible.

Shenanigans with dimensional travel aside, it’s frustrating that his efforts were put to an end by a random assassin of all things. If there is one thing that dampers Dimitri’s hopes, it’s the possibility that his original body is still there in his world, dead on the floor. After all, the body he’s currently inhabiting isn’t his. It’s scarred, but it’s not _his_ scars.

Wearing someone else’s skin— even if that person is his “counterpart”, is uncomfortable. 

Sothis tried to reassure him earlier. “We don't know that for certain. Your whole body might’ve been transported and entering our world may have caused unpredictable effects on it.” That isn't much better. If his body was suddenly gone from his world, that just replaces grief with panic. Goddess, he can't imagine how Dedue would react to his disappearance! Dimitri genuinely wants to be angry at Sothis, he really does, but--

At the same time, he can't dismiss the possibility that Sothis’s random experiment may have saved his life. After all, if this didn’t happen, perhaps he really would’ve died for real. There’s no telling, and Sothis avoided talking in absolutes. 

Dimitri hits the enter key after the final sentence of his final report. (Thank you, Byleth, for teaching me the art of using ’word documents’. I will repay you for your kindness one day.) Silver Snow critique is done.

Reading Three Houses was something Dimitri expected to be a bizarre experience. This is his life, or rather ‘Byleth’s’ life. Even now, just thinking about ‘Crimson Flower’ makes him dizzy— ‘Verdant Wind’ and ‘Silver Snow’ as well. Writing a critique on them as if it was a mere fairy tale— as if he was the goddess herself, was doubly bizarre.

“All of these parts were created to make a complete narrative, so it’s safe to say that if Byleth had made different decisions in your world, this would be the result.” That’s what Sothis said in regards to other parts’ relation to his world, the ’Azure Moon’ route. He suspected it before, but never before had he been so grateful for Byleth's presence as the Blue Lions’ professor. His fruitless deaths in the other routes were painful to read, even if he knew that that would be the result if he continued his murderous rampage.

Byleth had two hands and yet, he could only reach out for one.

But Dimitri is glad that he had read it. He finally understands Edelgard’s pain-- her despair when she was defeated in her own throne room, the pain she felt when she was victimized by those horrid experiments, and the fear she must’ve felt to reach out her hand to anyone before it was too late. It’s sad to think that perhaps if he reconnected to Edelgard during his time in the Academy, she could have remembered the boy who gave her the will to cut a path in the first place. And if she remembered him, then maybe—

“But, alas,” one would say, “That’s what a tragedy is, isn't it?”

Dimitri already resolved himself that from now on, he’s no longer a slave to the dead despite the ghosts lingering in the back of his mind. He knows that he shouldn't beat himself up over what has been set and done, but at least now, he can properly mourn for everything that was lost. The fact that there is a world out there where Edelgard is happy is comforting in itself, despite the grief that he and the others suffered in said world. It’s fine for such a world to exist... as long as it doesn't come at the cost of his own world’s existence.

It’s strange. It’s like a weight has lifted off of his shoulders… as if the Edelgard who passed on is at peace.

When he comes back to his rightful place, he’ll need to meet with Claude soon to talk about Fodlan-Almyra relations. Rhea should be left in peace at Zanado. It’s what she deserves after what she has been through. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to tell Byleth the truth behind his body and mother if he’s still interested. (Plus, he never knew about this Divine Pulse power… even if Byleth doesn’t need it, Dimitri can’t help but feel compelled to apologize for his reckless behavior back then. How many times did Byleth see his death?)

Goddess, now he’s thinking of even more reasons why he wants to go back home. 

A few knocks on the door rang out.

”Can I come in?”

”Go ahead, Byleth.” The name still feels strange on Dimitri’s tongue, like Flayn’s numbing cooking. This isn’t his Byleth. He’s technically a stranger, and yet….

Dimitri shakes his head. He’ll just have to get used to it.

The Faerghan king was given the guest bedroom of Byleth’s house, which is smaller than his royal bedroom, but cozy like his dorm in the Officers Academy. It’s quite colorful, too, with the baby blue walls and the neon abstract decor hanging on it. (It’s… a foreign style to Dimitri, to say the least.) Apparently, Byleth intended this room to be Sothis’s, but she always spends her free time in her lab (this room is too small for her purposes) and if she didn’t crash there, she would just fall asleep on the couch anyways. Thus, it remained unused until now.

After Sothis went off to her lab (where ever that is), Byleth was the one who gave him a tour of his new living quarters and taught him briefly about the strange technology he has and how to use them. He’s essentially going to be quarantining himself for a while until the siblings procure him a proper disguise, so Byleth said, “Well, I might as well teach you how to entertain yourself until then.” As Sothis said, a dead boy running around town would attract unwanted attention.

The door creaks open.

“How’s your ‘homework’ going?”

“I’m already done, actually. Though, I suppose I haven’t gone back to proofread it.” With Dimitri’s clumsy fingers, autocorrect was a blessing from the heavens.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not like you’re being graded. Here, allow me to demonstrate how to send it to Sothis.” Byleth puts his hand on the mouse (it doesn’t look like a mouse to Dimitri, but okay) and directs the arrow over the weird tri-colored circle icon. The screen changes.

“I suppose I’ll have to explain. I’ve told you before about how important computers are in this world, right?” When Sothis told them about her plan to get Dimitri to infiltrate Garreg Mach, it became clear that Dimitri will require some degree of ‘common sense’— just enough to mask his medieval fantasy background and to, well, not completely humiliate himself. Because of that, Byleth suggested using a word document on the computer rather than the classic pen and paper. This, of course, led to many questions.

“Ah, yes. I believe Sothis said something like ‘Darn you Dimitri for asking questions that devolve the great genius Sothis into a mere ‘tutorial guide’! I will not tolerate this... injustice toward my poor ego for I am no mere dictionary!’” Byleth couldn’t help but crack a smile at Dimitri’s high-pitched Sothis impression.

“...Yeah. Listing out the purposes of the computer will take too much time since as an apparatus, it’s flexible enough to do many things if you’re creative enough. I suppose that in itself is what makes it so powerful and important to our world.” Byleth then clicks some more and opens up the screen to a login screen. “Ordinary folk mostly just use it for research, communication, and entertainment purposes, however. If you go to this website— see that top bar?— you can send the files you’ve just written to her. This is called e-mail, short for ‘electronic mail’. It works the same way as sending mail normally, just this time it’s sent virtually on the computer.”

“...”

“Dimitri?”

“Oh, Pr-Byleth. I’m just trying to process the information. It’s just all so new to me… even though you did your best to explain as much as you can earlier.”

“You’ll learn with time. There’s no need to rush.” It is a bit much for someone who just jumped from a medieval fantasy setting, but it can’t be helped. Dimitri acting like a boomer messing around with these ‘new-fangled gadgets’ is likely inevitable, even once he finally goes out to GMH. It’s more important that His Majesty here learns the bare minimum so that he can still talk to Sothis and himself from a distance. (Which would lead to phones, but… he’ll save that for tomorrow.) 

“I understand the part about sending mail on the computer, though. It’s no different than a letter, correct?”

“Yes. See? Watch. I’m attaching your files to the letter, left a note to Sothis, and— sent. As you can see, this is addressed to Sothis and it will show up in her inbox. She’ll be able to see it from her end.”

“Just like that?”

“Just like that.”

Dimitri’s eyes start to sparkle. “This… that’s amazing! How long will it take for it to arrive?”

“Instantaneously. Even if she’s on the other side of the world, it would take seconds at most to arrive on her end.” Right when Dimitri is about to open his mouth once more, Byleth rushed to put his finger on Dimitri’s lips, silencing him. “And I will love to explain more, but I was also going to tell you that dinner is ready. Let’s talk there before our food gets cold, okay?”

Dimitri nodded. “Alright then.” Once they left the room, the two men sat together at the dining room, greeted by an array of breads, fish, and cheesy soup.

For once in his life, Dimitri is happy that he isn’t in his original body. The food is absolutely delicious. Byleth took notice of this.

“I was reading Three Houses earlier. It mentioned that you can’t taste?”

“Ah, yes. For the longest time, every food was just… bland, unless if you cook like Flayn.” That moment was something Dimitri will never forget— the first time in 9 years, a spark lit off of his tongue. He wonders how Flayn is doing right now. Surely, she’s safe somewhere with Seteth, who is apparently her father.

Byleth shoves a mouthful of fish into his mouth. “Even in this world, losing one’s sense of taste isn’t something that can be cured easily. Most cases involve patients recovering over time. Some may not ever get it back.” That’s what Byleth can gather from a brief Google search on ageusia, not that he’s an expert on that front by any means. Sothis really put her back into writing Three Houses— he’s kind of surprised she never published it, considering she only plugged in the real names she knew later down the line.

Dimitri nods solemnly. “Is that so? Even then, despite the little I know about your world, I can tell how far cry it is from the Fodlan I’m from— how the technology here can benefit the Kingdom if I can just somehow bring it over. Sending letters instantaneously over the computer? Fast communication like that can do so much in multiple fields.”

“Well, I wouldn’t worry too much about rushing. All of this is just a product of many years of progress. As king, encouraging scholars and the like to discover new things is already good enough.”

The king shakes his head. “Perhaps, and yet, I get the feeling that the more I learn about this world, the more help I can be for my country once I get back.”

The professor smiled softly. It’s only natural for someone to make the most out of an unfortunate situation, but when Dimitri says something like that, it’s no wonder he’s described as a beloved king.

“Once you attend GMH, there’s going to be a library there. Perhaps not as grand as the one described in the monastery, but it’ll be a good opportunity to get reliable knowledge. Before that, I’ll teach you about other sources like the Internet tomorrow.”

Dimitri furrows his brow. “The… Internet?” 

“...You’ll know what I mean by tomorrow. It’s going to be a long lesson.”

“But—“

“Tomorrow.” Byleth smiles. “Tomorrow, Blaiddyd.”

* * *

“Eyy, over here!”

When a loud pink-haired girl started waving at him from her seat, Claude knew it could only be her.

“Hilda! Is that you?”

“The one and only! Here, have a seat!” After sitting on the chair across from her, he notices the venti caramel frappe on the table. This cafe, Sirius, is apparently very popular despite being amongst a sea of popular food chains. Hilda says that it’s because the student discount can’t be beat. Claude thinks it’s because the coffee he’s sipping on right now is bomb. Both? It’s both.

“How’s your dorm, Claudie? Feeling the fresh air of having the whole room for yourself? Feeling the raw power of unadulterated privilege run up your veins?”

“Indeed I am, my friend! It’s like I’m living the dream. I didn’t get the chance to check it out beforehand, but let me tell you, the online preview doesn’t do it justice. If the girls' dorm is the same, then you’ve been holding out on me, Hilda.”

“Hah, it’s not as big as my room at home, but it’s definitely comfy. The real good ones are the lucky kids who have balconies facing the lake instead of the city. The city night view is great and all, but the lake at sunset can’t be beat. I only got to see it once when we were having a girls’ night out at Mercedes’s room.”

“The lake, huh? I think my room was facing the lake as well.”

“Well, you better cherish it. It’s clear to me that you, Claude, are favored by some higher power. The view of the lake and having a room to yourself on top of that? Honestly.” Hilda pouts, and Claude isn’t sure how much of it is real.

“If the view is really that popular, then it’s weird that I’m stuck with it as a leftover. I mean, didn’t you guys get to choose your rooms? I signed up at the last minute.”

“Ah, well. If I want to explain that I’ll have to break rule 10 on the ‘How to Survive GMH with Hilda’ guide. Should be fine, since we’re not actually at the school.”

Right. Rule 10.

Courtesy of Hilda’s rare gracious efforts to help a person in need, she compiled a list of 10 commandments to follow during his time as a young, naïve little transfer student.

How to Survive GMH with Hilda!

Rule 1! Do not make Principal Rhea mad. The consequences outweigh the benefits and some say she has eyes and ears everywhere. That means don’t actually break the rules she lists out in orientation. Just don’t.

Rule 2! Anything outside of Rhea’s rules is fair game! As long as you aren’t caught by the local stickler and far less omniscient Seteth, it is okay to have fun without being punished! (Still follow the other rules below, though.)

Rule 3! If you see a sword lying on the ground, it’s probably Felix’s, but don’t touch it. The weirdo conjures swords for fun and sometimes touching them is a mistake. Not naming names, but a certain delicate flower of a girl was stuck with perpetual bad hair days for weeks for breaking Rule 3. It’s kind of why this rule exists.

Rule 4! If you break curfew and you don’t have permission, use the secret passageway between the twin trees because it’s a total life saver. It’ll lead to a one-way warp device to one of the dorm rooms. I don’t know who made it, but apparently it was made by a really smart graduate from the Golden Deer. That means that this is a Golden Deer secret! Don’t tell anyone else, not even to your s/o from another house!

Rule 5! Make friends with house leaders if you can! If you’re lucky, they can pull some strings to get you out of trouble. If not, you still have another friend! Be careful if you’re gunning for Edelgard, though. Simp extraordinaire, Hubert, might take offense.

Rule 6! Do not hurt the animals at Garreg Mach! I repeat, do not hurt the animals at Garreg Mach! If you do, you are an awful person. >:^( (And yes, even if it’s a complete accident. No excuses! They are the kings and queens of this land!)

Rule 7! Don’t sample Flayn’s cooking. You’ll die. She has a sweet face, but if you are lured by her charms, you’ll just be another kill under her belt.

Rule 8! This is sort of a given thanks to Rule 1, but don’t use magic in a fight (like, outside of practice). Ever. No, not even if it was at the heat of the moment or if it was a harmless spell. If it was an ordinary prank that can’t be traced back to you, you could get away with it, but if you’re arguing with someone in the hall and you activate a spell that warps them to the room next door, you’re in for a load of trouble. I’m serious. They’ll think you’re breaking Rule 1 when you’re technically not. 

Rule 9! Don’t be an asshole! Super simple to do and decrease the chances of breaking some of the rules above. (Though if you need to be one in order to reject Flayn’s cooking, then it can’t be helped. Life is precious, you know?)

And Rule 10, the newest rule: do not talk about Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, especially not in front of a Blue Lion. 

The death of Senator Blaiddyd’s son was a big deal— big enough to catch fire on social media, in fact. And like most ‘big’ stories, people lose interest and move onto the next exciting thing. The people who were truly affected— Dimitri’s friends and family, were left behind by the public after being bombarded by sympathies and prayers.

However, although Garreg Mach may be a sizable city, stuff like that doesn’t just disappear like it would on a national scale. Claude could tell that Dimitri’s name isn’t just taboo in school, but in Garreg Mach as a whole. Most have moved on, but just earlier, Claude saw someone trying to pester about Dimitri’s death and well— it didn’t devolve into violence but it sure made the atmosphere so tense, you were expecting it.

Which is why he isn’t surprised to see Hilda reducing her voice to a low whisper— just enough for Claude to catch her words.

“The room you’re staying in used to be Dimitri’s room. No one picked it and, well, I suspect the faculty didn’t want anyone to use it unless necessary. Dimitri was a good kid, you know? The teachers liked him as much as the students did.” Hilda sighs. “Sorry, I should’ve known that bringing him up would be an instant downer.”

“Nah, I’m the one who asked. I don’t know the kid myself personally, but what I do know is that it shouldn’t stop anyone from making good high school memories. Not that I’m saying one shouldn’t be allowed grieve, but— you know what I mean.”

“Hah, don’t worry. I get it, Claude. And you’re right. Knowing Dimitri, it’s probably what he would’ve wanted.”

The conversation went on with some small talk— things like the newest Magical Girl Nemesis episode, the Lorenz Chronicles, and the like. While Hilda rambled on about the things she felt like rambling about, Claude’s thoughts drift back to Dimitri.

He lied about not knowing Dimitri personally. They met a long time ago— a time where Claude could honestly call himself ‘Khalid’. He was many miles away when the news of Dimitri’s suicide reaches his ears and when the report went on, Claude realized something.

He could still fulfill his promise with Dimitri.

_“Promise me that we’ll meet again, okay Khalid?” Dima smiles as he offers his pinky finger. “Pinky promise?”_

It was a selfish line of logic. He’s only doing this for his own ego— to satisfy his broken promise by using a loophole, if he could call it that. He won’t be meeting with Dimitri. He’s going to meet up with his corpse.

It took about a month of relentless pestering, but he managed to convince his mom to let him approach Garreg Mach, the city where Dimitri was buried, on the condition that Judith comes with him. 

Once they got there… well, that’s when things started to get strange. One thing led to another and it didn’t take long before Claude’s suspicions about Dimitri’s body reached his mom’s ears. Those suspicions pointed towards Rhea and it only got worse when Judith shared a couple of stories about when she was a student at GMH.

That promised visit was the trigger to why Claude is attending Garreg Mach High to investigate Principal Rhea. If Rhea did anything to Dimitri— if Rhea had anything to do with Dimitri’s _suicide_ …

Well, that’s where a level head is needed. He can’t jump to conclusions, especially with the heavy accusations he’s making.

But if it turns out to be true, she better be grateful for the swift end he’s about to deliver.

* * *

The next day, Sothis still wasn’t back.

Byleth knew that Sothis likes to take her sweet time with her weird experiment shenanigans despite her always egging on him for being too slow at making pancakes (flagrant hypocrisy at it’s finest), so he isn’t too concerned. The professor thought about going back to prepping his lessons for the coming year after finishing making breakfast, but then—

“Professor! I mean, Byleth! I just realized something!”

“What is it?” Right when Byleth opens the door to Dimitri’s room, he witnesses a horrendous sight.

Dimitri yanks (holy shit, he _yanked_ ) the computer mouse (NOT wireless) from the computer and walks towards Byleth to show the poor baby to his face. The sheer force knocked the computer onto its side, crashing into the ground with a ceremonious thud.

Shameless murder, right before his very eyes.

But Dimitri, with his almost childlike grin, is unfazed due to his overwhelming joy— unaware of the brief expression of horror that crossed the professor’s face.

And then he said, “I finally understand why you call this little device a ‘mouse’! It’s because it looks like one, correct? See, this long part is like a tail and—“

Byleth stands up and slowly walks towards his fallen comrade, kneeling before its corpse.

“B-Byleth?”

Byleth takes a deep breath.

“Dimitri. I’m aware that as a denizen of another world, you are… ignorant of many things about this one.” Byleth sees the light of life flicker away from his comrade’s metal husk, leaving behind it’s mangled, grotesque remains in the mortal realm. Byleth silently prayed for it to rest in peace. It lived a longer, better life than its predecessor. 

He stands up once more.

“However, you have stolen the life of someone very precious to me.” Dimitri couldn’t help but feel shivers running up his spine just from hearing Byleth’s voice. “... And in this world, a teacher’s salary is... a tad lower than lackluster. Do you understand what this means?”

Many thoughts ran through the royal’s head before he understood the weight of his sins. He closes his eyes, unable to look forward out of guilt. 

“I understand, Professor Byleth. If it is my life that I must give up, then so be it.” The genuine shame on Dimitri’s face makes it tempting for Byleth to forgive him on the spot. He’s even prostrating right before him.

But he crossed the line for mercy.

“Stand up, Dimitri. Look at me in the eye.”

He does just that, which took a lot of effort on Dimitri’s end.

“We’re going to make pancakes.”

“Pan… cakes?”

“A lot of pancakes. Slow-cooked.”


End file.
